Austria has adopted amendments to the Settlement and Residence Act (Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz – NAG) and the Act Governing the Employment of Foreign Nationals (Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz – AuslBG). While the reform includes significant changes for family members of individuals granted asylum, it also introduces measures directly relevant to employers hiring or employing third-country nationals in Austria.
Procedural simplification and faster processing
Going forward, the competent settlement and residence authority must generally issue decisions on residence permit applications within 90 days. Certain permit categories may remain subject to shorter or longer statutory decision periods.
In addition, certain applications may be submitted online where the applicant holds the required electronic identification, known as “ID Austria”. This applies to:
Expired residence permits will also no longer need to be returned to the competent authority. This does not apply where a foreign national leaves Austria before the permit expires.
Changes affecting family members
The reform reduces the German-language requirements for certain dependent family members. This applies, among other cases, where the principal permit holder previously held:
In addition, family members holding a derived residence permit under Section 69 NAG, including certain family members of students, may in future gain access to the labour market and receive a combined work and residence permit for dependent employment. Previously, this combined permit was available only in ICT and mobile ICT cases.
Employment flexibility and labour market compliance
Holders of certain combined work and residence permits will be able to change employer with greater flexibility.
Eligible permit holders seeking to change employer, and unemployed permit holders with a new employment opportunity, will need to file a notification to the residence authority to inform of the proposed change, including details of the new employer and employment. The notification will be treated as a change-of-purpose application with the aim to receive the same permit category as held before but linked to the new employer. The individual may commence the new employment 45 days after submitting the notification, provided the activity falls within the scope of the requested permit, even where the authority has not yet issued its decision.
Where the holder of an employer-specific combined residence and work permit becomes unemployed, the individual must notify the residence authority immediately. Only then the permit may not be withdrawn for six months from the final day of employment.
Multiple emergency vignettes during renewal procedures
Individuals who have submitted a renewal application may currently receive a visa stamp in their passport once, valid for three months, to facilitate travel after their permit has expired and while the application remains pending. Under the new rules, multiple visa stamps, known as “emergency vignettes”, may be issued during an ongoing renewal process.
Work permit exception for nursing and healthcare traineeships
Foreign nationals completing education in nursing, healthcare assistance or social care professions may undertake employment without obtaining a separate work permit, provided they hold a valid Austrian residence permit.
The same exemption applies to foreign nationals undertaking a traineeship that is required either to obtain recognition of a foreign healthcare qualification in Austria or to obtain an Austrian healthcare qualification under the Austrian Health and Nursing Care Act.
Employers in Austria that hire or employ third-country nationals should review their immigration and mobility processes in light of these amendments. The reform may affect:
Overall, the new rules may provide greater flexibility but will require careful procedural management to maintain compliance and avoid delays.
Employers should assess how the amendments may affect current and planned hires, employer changes, renewals and dependent family members. For tailored advice, please contact your Vialto point of contact.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Valentina Arnez
Partner
Antonia Lehne
Manager
Simply follow our Vialto Alerts page on LinkedIn and posts will be displayed on your feed. To ensure you don’t miss one, once you’re on our LinkedIn page, click on the bell icon under the banner image to manage your notifications.
Further information on Vialto can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com
Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
© 2026 Vialto Partners. All rights reserved.